1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to powered punch presses, and pertains more particularly to such a press in which the ram having the punch mounted thereon can be unlatched from the power drive so as to enable the operator to manually lower the ram and its punch in order to permit an accurate alignment between the punch and die, doing so before a punching operation is performed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Metal working apparatus having combined shearing and punching stations has become quite common. However, when a punch press is powered with a hydraulic drive, a severe alignment problem ensues where punch and die sets are frequently changed, for each change requires an accurate alignment of the new female die beneath the new male punch. Any misalignment can cause damage to either the punch or the die, which can be quite costly. If the punch fractures, it can be extremely dangerous to the operator. Therefore, a need has persisted throughout the years for a simple mechanism for enabling the operator to accurately align the punch and die, being able to do so before a powered punching operation is performed.